


Falling and Flying

by thatmountainhermit



Category: Homestuck
Genre: 5+1 Things, Friends to Lovers, Love Confessions, M/M, POV Dave Strider, Pining, Time jumping through Dave's life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-23
Updated: 2018-01-23
Packaged: 2019-03-08 09:17:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13455186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatmountainhermit/pseuds/thatmountainhermit
Summary: He first asked about love as a child.Or, the one where Dave falls, and Karkat helps him fly.





	Falling and Flying

**Author's Note:**

  * For [temperature_is_fake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/temperature_is_fake/gifts).



1\. 

“It feels like falling. But so much more breathtaking. And a little bit scary.”

He first asked about love as a child. About the kind that the girls in the playground talked about, giggled over with their dolls and tried to chase the boys for. He was 7. She was an adult who faintly smelled of flowers and dressed in pretty skirts and patterned shirts. A kind one, one of those rare ones. His teacher, who once asked him with soft eyes if he was scared of home, of his brother, but didn’t look relieved when Dave went on his usual ramble about how awesome Bro was. 

(He didn’t realise what she was asking at the time. He would, eventually.)

He knew what falling felt like. Of flying through the air, of being swept off your feet. It was terrifying. How could anyone want that for themselves?

He promised himself that he’d never love.

It became easier when middle school came and Bro announced he would be homeschooled throughout middle and high school. He didn’t care. The kids at school were all dumb losers who didn’t know the first thing about irony or fighting. People were dumb. He had all he needed in the apartment.

(He didn’t choke back hot tears in bed that night, thinking about Ruby and Joel and June. His classmates, almost-friends. Now he had no one but Bro.)

2.

“It’s like falling. But it’s the best feeling ever, when you know someone’s there to catch you.”

He asked his sister about love near the start. About the way she felt for Kanaya. About that distracting feeling that kept her away from his side. They were tucked away in the kitchen, eating a human-friendly dinner, their once a week commitment. Dave noted how she seemed to glow when she talked about her mate-girl-sprit-friend. 

(He was happy for Rose, truly, but he missed her. Their times together were scarce.)

Rose knew what it was like to fall. She knew what the fear felt like. She knew it could seem endless. 

He wondered why she, too, chose that phrasing. 

He turned to Karkat, who turned to Dave in return, the only two left without extremely violent urges. Tense, passive-aggressive silence turned to comfortable, safe, quiet. Sitting on opposite sides of the couch while watching a movie turned to tangles of limbs and blankets. Fights for no reason turned to quiet conversations, spilled secrets, careful comfort.

(Dave wouldn’t dare admit it, but he liked Karkat being his friend. They understood each other in ways the others didn’t, the two Knights. They finally weren’t alone.)

3.

“I don’t like falling. It reminds me of the rooftop. Of  _ him _ .”

He admitted this only once. A quiet, shaky thing, whispered between sobs with black-clad arms wrapped around him. It felt almost as if Karkat was squeezing the tears out, or desperately trying to hold Dave together as he fell to pieces. Either worked here. 

(Here was warm, here was soft, here was safe.)

He had realised what his teacher meant, now. About falling and love. About fear and his brother.

He wasn’t sure which was worse. 

He didn’t leave Karkat’s side as time passed. His heart ached with every passing moment. But he kept falling, waiting for the ground to finally catch up with him, because this time there was no edge to catch himself on. Not when he’d thrown himself off so wholeheartedly, without even knowing what he was doing. So he would wait for the impact, this time, and he wouldn’t fight.

(He knew, deep down, he’d have done it anyway. It was going to hurt, it was going to break him. But for now, he had Karkat, with soft smiles and strange speech.)

4.

“Why is it called falling in love? You humans make red feelings sound so unpleasant.”

He couldn’t help but laugh at Karkat’s words. A question about what trolls called it. It was endearing, seeing the way he clammed up and mumbled something about “going red.” Dave let a teasing grin slip onto his face as he ribbed Karkat about the oh-so-romantic phrasing.

(He loved watching Karkat’s face go ever-so-slightly red, and pushed away the thought of his feelings doing the same)

He would never admit that falling, in this case, was only unpleasant when you thought about it. When you let the end of it all, the admission, fill your mind.

He promised himself he would never let it come to that end.

It became harder as time went on. Distance worked on the days where all he could think about was how much he loved Karkat. But there could only be so much distance before Karkat grew worried, and Dave could never live with himself if he hurt Karkat anyway. 

(Karkat could hurt him as much as he wanted. Dave had already resigned himself to that fate. It was worth it, so worth it.)

5.

“I’m falling in love with you. I figured you should know.”

He never expected to hear the words from Karkat, but here he was. And now the two of them were on the edge together. Never before had falling looked so appealing, never before had he wanted to grab something so tightly and  _ jump _ , never mind the consequences. Karkat was looking unsure, and Dave couldn’t deny it anymore.

(Kissing was nicer than he had expected. Maybe because it was Karkat. Maybe because he’d wanted this for so long.)

Falling together was different. It was terrifying and safe. Rose was right. 

He let her gloat, eventually.

They settled into the new relationship quickly, as affectionate as ever. Still sharing secrets and dumb jokes. Dave had something different to before, not his Karkles, a best bro, a close friend, and a comforting confidant. But a boyfriend, too. A matesprit. A mate-boy-sprit-friend.

(Karkat swatted his arm at that. But his grin was warm and fond. So Dave knew he still had his Karkles.)

+1

“I love you, and it feels like flying.”

The world was made anew. The war won. Their prize claimed.

This morning was peaceful. Tucked into bed together, limbs their usual tangled mess, serendipitously ending up face to face. Dave’s words broke the silence, the content quiet, before letting it rush back in.

“And you call _me_ the sap.” 

He hadn’t realised Karkat was awake. From the shit-eating grin, Karkat knew it, too. Dave felt his face grow warm, but Karkat was distracting him with slow, sleepy kisses. He couldn’t find it in himself to complain even as his mate-boy-sprit-friend pulled away. 

His smile was still blinding. Eyes still warm and soft with love. A light touch to his cheek - soft, as Karkat was absently reminding himself that yes, Dave was still here. 

“Marry me.”

Just when he thought this asshole couldn’t steal his breath again. 

(He nodded with a grin on his face and tears in his eyes. He wasn’t falling anymore. He was soaring.) 


End file.
